Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-11-25
THANKSGIVING.
How 1t Was Celebrated by the Guests at
the City Prison.

HOW Ii Was Celebrated Dy inc Uueseo az
the City Prison.
1t has been a custom for many years Tor
certain humanitarians in this city to FUR
nish genuine Thanksgiving dinner to the
poor unfortunates who occupy cells IN the
city prison. This is kind and benevolent
act, and is highly appreciated by those
fallen ones, whose memory no doubt
reverts back to the time when they were
pure. when they annually assembled
around the family turkey at Thanksgiving,
surrounded by those whose memory Is dear.
There is no man nor woman. however
fallen or depraved, when they go BACK
in memory to the scenes of their innocent
childhood and remember the kind and loV-
ing words of a mother and sister, the gooa
advice of a father, but are better men and
women for the reflection. 1t Is turning
point in their lives, and if the good resolu-
tons which come to their minds were car
ried out many would once more become
useful members of society. Those that are
bad to-day were not always so, ana tnose
who move now in the best circles OF society
could have not always done SO IN the
past. "As long as the lamp holds out to
burn the vilest sinner may return, IS an
old saying, and good resolution stuck
to" has taken more than one man from
the gutter and placed him on the pinnacle
of fame.
THEIR FEAST.
Knowing the usual custom of the good
people of Sacramento ii was not surprising
that many of the old buns and chronic
DRINKS in the city filled up with benzlne
on Wednesday night and threw themselves
in the way of the police, IN order to be
taken in, so as to be able to take in the
feast. The Hotel Dillman was taxed to Its
utmost capacity. The clerk who sat in the
front office, his diamond pin in his i'm
maculate shirt-front shining like star OF
the seventh magnitude, was kept busy all
night assigning guests to their rooms. and
he was heard to remark that they were the
best-natured and most orderly set of DRINKS
that had ever put up at his caravansary.
There was no trouble about checking bag
gage, no one asked to be called at unusually
early hours, and no one objected to occu-
pying rooms with fellow-guests. 4ester-
day morning there was unusual activity
about the CITY Prison. The cooks and
walters were busily engaged in preparing
the fowls and making the spread,
which was fit for the gods. The
poultry was of the most toothsome, the
wines the best of CALIFORNIA; vintage
and equal to the nectar that at one time is
said to have gladdened the hearts of the
Roman Senators, while the cigars were
equal to those that are enjoyed by the
Cuban grandees. Long before the hour of
the feast arrived the guests became uneasy,
and as the savory fumes of the roasting
goose and the succulent turkey reached
their rooms from the adjacent kitchen, they
would ring for the bell boy and send a re-
quest to the clerk to hurry up the banquet
At precisely u o'clock the guests were all
marched to the wash-rooms, where they
were made acquainted with Sacramento
straight, and after good washing of their
hands and physiognomies and pulling the
snarls out of their hirsute locks with a
currycomb, they were in readiness for the
dinner. They were seated at the festal
board with Ed. Rand, the toast-master,
at the head of the tabler. Mr. Rand, while
he cannot be said to be progressing in ap-
pearance, gave evidence in his mastery
style of presiding of having seen better
days, is said to be boodler in dis
guise, and at one time member of the
Boss Tweed ring in New York.
After all had satisfied the inner man
with edibles and copious potions of wine,
the real entertainment commenced. Mr..
Rand made short address on Thanksgiv-
ing said it was one of the most popular
holidays in the nation and one that should
be perpetuated. He said & have partaken
of many Thanksgiving dinner under my
fathers roof, in after years on this day
entertained my friends most Hospitality, but
to-day comrades in misfortune, we are like
the prodigal son who disobeyed the injunc-
tons of his father wandered off into for
hidden paths and are, saving this occasion,
glad to eat with the swine or take our
chances on picking from the swill barrel.
Let us forget on this occasion the past and
live to-day only the present, and for the
future pray that we may each become
what God intended we should be, man
among men,"
The first toast he announced was 1.-THE
American Government and free Gin. The
one the glory of the patriot the other
the glory of the bum," and called upon
Nike Sullivan to respond. Mr.. Sullivan
said he had not been in the country but
short time. The American Government
had done but little for him, but China gin
had served as solace on many an occasion
and had it not been for the latter he would
have escaped the glorious banquet.
Chasing freckles in the dark or getting
tangled in his breath" was responded to by
Signor Raphael Vasquez.
The Chief de Cuisine or the mystery of
Station House SOUP" by Prof. Fally Nor
ton.
"Fong Lees Gin. 1t is purifying and
E1hilarating," by Capt. Dozier.
" Self made buns of our times, or the
dude sons of rich men," by John Doe.
''Let 'er go Gallagher" by Toughie An
derson.
ITO our absent friends Brady, Chin-du-
Wan, Meyerhoffer, Friday, Dan Daley and
the Denver Terlo-,' drank in silence.
Absent, but not forgotten, Muldoon,
Fong Lee, Fong Soon, Jim Gilday and
James Cummings" by Trusty Dutchy.
This closing the set toasts, the toast
master said he thought it highly appro-
pirate that they should drink toast to one
who had departed this life. One that
could repeat all that Bacon or Shakespeare,
no matter which, ever wrote; who had
pulled up the curtain on the Metropolitan
stage for a quarter of century, who had
taught Edwin Booth and Forrest all they
ever knew of acting, but whisky knocked
him out in a long contest. He referred to
his friend, Boney Sewell and proposed
that all hands arise and drink to the toast
standing